Aerosol container



Jan. 3, 1967 KATES ETAL 3,295,727

AEROSOL CONTAINER I INVENTORS IRVING KATES ARA NERSESIAN By 7 WM A T TORNEV Jan. 3, 1967 1. KATES ETAL 3,295,727

AEROSOL CONTAINER Filed March 17, 1964 2 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTORS IRVING KATES ARA NERSESIAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,295,727 AEROSOL CONTAINER Irving Kates, Clark, and Ara Nersesian, Newark, N..l., assignors to Bristol-Myers Company,NeW York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 352,537 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-136) This invention relates to an aerosol dispenser, and more particularly to an areosol dispenser designed to simultaneously dispense at least two materials that are maintained separately in a container until just before the time for dispensing. As used herein, the term areosol dispenser refers to a device which comprises a container in which is disposed a material or materials to be dispensed and a propellant, usually in the form of a highly volatile liquid, which serves as the force for conveying the material or materials out of the container.

It has been found desirable in some applications of aerosol devices to keep certain components of a composition separate from each other until just before the time of use of the composition. Several aerosol dispensers capable of performing this function have been described in the prior art. However, these have, in general, been expensive and, accordingly, have had only limited acceptance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol dispenser container capable of simultaneously dispensing at least two materials, which are maintained substantially separated from each other until just before dispensing; said dispenser container being economical to construct and simple in design.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a two compartment aerosol dispenser container capable of simultaneously dispensing two materials from the same container: said materials being maintained substantially separately from each other until just before dispensing; said dispenser container being economical to construct, simple in design and using the same pressure system to dispense said two materials from said container.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide a concentrically arranged two-compartment aerosol dispenser container capable of simultaneously dispensing a different material from each compartment into a common exit conduit for said container; said materials being maintained substantially separate from each other until just before dispensing; said dispenser container being economical to construct, simple in design and operation, and using the same pressure system to dispense said two materials from said container.

Other and more detailed objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings wherein:

FlGURE l is a side elevation, partly in section of an aerosol dispenser container embodied in the present invention: and

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to that shown in FIGURE l of another embodiment of this invention.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the aerosol dispenser is designatcd generally at 1 and comprises an outer compartment 3 and an inner compartment 5 arranged concentrically around dip tube 7. Outer compartment 3 and inner compartment 5 are hermetically sealed from the atmosphere by means of a cap 9 and are designed so that materials contained in the respective compartments may be maintained separate from each other.

Inner compartment 5 is annular in cross-section and has an outside wall 11 and an inside wall 13. The latter is formed mainly by the wall of dip tube 7. Inner compartment 5 is sealed off at its bottom from outer compartment 3 by floor 15 which surrounds the wall of dip tube 7.

3,295,727 Patented .lan. 3, 19%? "ice Resting on the upper end of dip tube 7 and friction fitted into the upper end of compartment 5 is a fitting 17. Fitting 17 consists of a wider upper hollow cylindrical portion 19 which narrows down to a lower hollow cylindrical portion 21. The under side of fitting 17 serves as the roof and part of the upper inner wall of inner compartment 5. Cylindrical portion 19 of fitting 17 acts as a housing for the valve 23 described in more detail below.

Inner compartment 5 may be supported in position inside of outer compartment 3 in any suitable manner. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1, it is friction fitted into central cylindrical portion 25 of cap 9.

Inner compartment 5 is supplied near the upper end of its outside wall 11 with an opening 41 by means of which it communicates with the interior of outer compartment 3. Near its lower end and on its inner wall 13, inner compartment 5 is provided with an opening 43 by means of which it communicates with the interior of dip tube 7.

All of the walls of the inner and outer compartments 3 and 5 respectively in the embodiment of this invention are sufiiciently rigid to prevent the collapse of the compartments under the pressures of the system when material is being dispensed from the container. Typical materials from which those parts may be made include nylon, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.

Valve 23 is housed. as mentioned above, in upper cylindrical portion 19 of fitting 17. The roof of this housing is formed by a washer 27 located just below cap 9. A centrally located hole is provided in both washer 2'7 and cap 9 through which passes hollow stem 29 of the valve system. The valve system is completed by a push button 31 provided with a conduit 33; a laterally extending bore 35 which communicates with the central conduit 37 of stem 29 and a spring 39 maintained under compression andv biased to expand upwardly.

In use of the modification shown in FIGURE 1, one of the components together with a propellant are mixed to form a composition 6 which is placed in outer compartment 3, whereas the other component 8 is placed in inner compartment 5. The propellant employed is generally a liquid which volatilizes readily. As a consequence, a head of vapor pressure builds up above the level of the contents of the outer compartment 3. Through opening 41 the same vapor pressure is applied to the contents of inner compartment 5.

When push button 31 is depressed, the pressure on the contents of compartment 3 pushes the material upwardly from the bottom of dip tube 7. The same pressure source acting downwardly on the contents of inner compartment 5 forces its content through opening 43 into dip tube 7 where it meets the material coming from outer compartment 3. These materials then travel upwardly through the dip tube '7 to the cavity formed by fitting 17. In the depressed position of push button 31, bore 35 is in a position to receive the material to be discharged, which passed into stem conduit 37 and then out through conduit 33.

In the modification of this invention shown in FIGURE 2, the construction of the elements are generally the same as that shown in FIGURE 1. However, the outside wall 11' of inner compartment 5 is sealed at its bottom to dip tube 7 and is made of very thin flexible material which is readily deformed by the pressures which are generated by the propellant in outer chamber 3. Typical examples of materials from which wall 11 may be made include low density polyethylene, thin wall polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride. etc. In this modification two openings 45 are provided in the roof of inner compartment 5 by which compartment 5 communicates with the interior of upper cylindrical portion 19 of fitting 17.

his device is filled for operation in the same manner as the device described in FIGURE 1. When it is activated by depressing push button 31, the pressure of the propellant that is being exerted on the thin wall 11 causes the same to collapse and forces the contents of compartment 5 up and out through openings 45. At the same time the contents of outer compartment 3 are pushed upwardly through dip tube 7 under the influence of the same pressure from the propellant.

The valve system described above is merely illustrative of one system that may be used in the present invention. Many more systems and constructions known in the art may be used in place of the system illustrated. Moreover, any of a variety of propellants may be used in connection with the present invention. Among these there may be mentioned the Freons, such as dichlorodifluoromethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, trichloromonofiuoroethane and mixtures thereof. Other propellants, such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide may also be employed.

The systems embodied in the present invention may, obviously, be used in dispensing a wide variety of material. These include such things as shaving creams, whipped cream, mayonnaise, icings, vitamins, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol dispenser capable of simultaneously dispensing at least two materials maintained substantially separate from each other until just before the time for dispensing which comprises an outer compartment containing a first material, a dip tube extending into a second material and then into said first material, an inner compartment containing said second material and arranged concentrically around said dip tube, a propellant vapor in said dispenser continuously exerting pressure simultaneously on the contents of each of said compartments whereby on dispensing from said aerosol dispenser, each of said materials is simultaneously dispensed.

2. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the propellant vapor exerts pressure directly on the contents of said inner compartment.

3. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the propellant vapor exerts pressure on the contents of said inner compartments through an intervening, yieldable means,

4. An aerosol dispenser according to claim 3 wherein the outer wall of said inner compartment is thin and flexible and serves as said intervening, yieldable means by which said propellant vapor pressure is exerted on the contents of said inner compartment.

5. A dispenser having at least two compartments and being capable of simultaneously dispensing at least two materials maintained substantially separate from each other in said container until just before the time for dispensing which comprises a hermetically sealed pressurized container provided with valve means for permitting the escape of the contents of said container, an outer compartment in said container adapted to hold a first material for dispensing, a conduit means operatively connected at one end with said valve means and extending inwardly into said outer compartment; said conduit means being adapted to convey the contents of said outer compartment toward said valve means; an inner compartment containing a second material and arranged concentrically around said conduit means, said inner compartment being in communication with said conduit means; the contents of said outer and inner compartments being subjected to the common pressure source whereby on opening of said valve means, the contents of said inner and outer compartments are simultaneously dispensed.

6. A dispenser according to claim 5 wherein said pressure source is a gas propellant.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6 wherein said conduit means comprises an elongated lower portion and a widened upper portion, and said inner compartment communicates with said conduit means at said widened upper portion.

8. A dispenser according to claim 6 wherein said conduit means comprises an elongated lower portion and a widened upper portion, and said inner compartment communicates with said conduit means at said elongated lower portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiners. 

1. AN AEROSOL DISPENSER CAPABLE OF SIMULTANEOUSLY DISPENSING AT LEAST TWO MATERIALS MAINTAINED SUBSTANTIALLY SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE TIME FOR DISPENSING WHICH COMPRISES AN OUTER COMPARTMENT CONTAINING A FIRST MATERIAL, A DIP TUBE EXTENDING INTO A SECOND MATERIAL AND THEN INTO SAID FIRST MATERIAL, AN INNER COMPARTMENT CONTAINING SAID SECOND MATERIAL AND ARRANGED CONCENTRICALLY AROUND SAID DIP TUBE, A PROPELLANT VAPOR IN SAID DISPENSER CONTINUOUSLY EXERTING PRESSURE SIMULTANEOUSLY ON THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS WHEREBY ON DISPENSING FROM SAID AEROSOL DISPENSER, EACH OF SAID MATERIALS IS SIMULTANEOUSLY DISPENSED. 